


Sparks in the Long Night

by NowNumber5



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Cedric Diggory Lives, Everyone needs a hug and maybe therapy, Fluff and Angst, Fred Weasley Lives, OC needs a hug
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-01
Updated: 2020-10-16
Packaged: 2021-03-07 17:14:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,538
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26741221
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NowNumber5/pseuds/NowNumber5
Summary: Shortly after the death of Lily and James potter, while the Weasleys are grieving the loss of their dear friends and worrying about Harry, then Nine-Year-Old Charlie Weasley finds a one-year-old baby girl abandoned in Knockturn Alley. The family knows they can't leave the clearly-abandoned baby alone in such a dark place, and they take her home, naming her Octavia and raising her as one of their own-the only difference is she has black curls and brown eyes instead of red hair. Now, it's time for young Octavia to head off to Hogwarts, meet the Boy who Lived, and discover just why she was left in that alley and who exactly left her there.
Relationships: Cho Chang & Original Female Character(s), Harry Potter & Original Female Character(s), Hermione Granger & Original Female Character(s), Luna Lovegood & Original Female Character(s), Neville Longbottom & Original Female Character(s), Padma Patil & Original Female Character(s), Weasley Family (Harry Potter) & Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 2





	1. Letters

**Author's Note:**

> Hey everyone! I know the summary is rough, but I think this story is going to turn out well! If nothing else, it's a good way to enjoy Potterverse content without supporting JK Rowling and her problematic views. If I accidentally include a stereotype she uses, please let me know! I try my best but could miss something (this also applies to stereotypes I might accidentally include myself). Enjoy!

It was late July, and I am patiently awaiting my letter.  
Some of you may not be witches or wizards, so I'll just explain:My whole family comes from a long, long line of magical people. For as long as we can trace, and probably further, we've had a lot of magic and a lot of red hair. Actually, not all of us are gingers. My hair is curlier and blacker than my siblings and parents, because I'm adopted. Was adopted when I was a baby actually, and I only know my birthday (June 27) because my family was able to tell on account of using magic.  
Anyways, because my whole family is magical, I've always known the day would come when I'd turn 11 and an owl would bring me my acceptance letter to Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the best place in Europe to get wizarding education. There were others, but Durmstrang was too dark and Beauxbatons was too French. But it's getting dark now, and my letter still hasn't come-maybe it got caught in the thunderstorm with all of our letters, or maybe old Errol, our family owl, finally kicked the bucket. Then, I hear a thump at the door and a pitter-patter of feet as Ginny, my little sister, races to open the door and let Errol in.  
"Mum! Mum! The letters are here!", she shouts, bringing my Mum in from the kitchen along with my brothers Fred, George, Percy, and Ron, who are entering their third, third, fifth, and first years respectively. Ron and I grab our letters first, excitedly looking over all of the books and supplies. "Octavia, isn't this awesome!" he exclaims. "Yeah! I'm so excited to get my books, and a wand, and-"  
"Actually, you two, we already have all your books. You can use Fred and George's old copies. Your father's department is suffering from budget cuts again."  
We both pout, but we understand. We've never had a lot of money for new things-it was hard for Mum and Dad to even afford new stuff for Bill and Charlie.  
"What about wands?," I say as the thought occurs to me.  
"Ron gets Charlie's, " she says, smiling in a comforting way-neither Ron nor I are good at masking our emotions, and it's obvious you're disappointed."  
Fred crumples up his letter carelessly and winks at me. "Lucky you, Tay, you get my old wand!". Fred had learned how to make a wand at school last year, who knows how, and refuses to tell anyone about the new wand-so he gave me his wand from first and second year, 11 inches of cherry wood with dragon heartstring in the middle.  
"Alright, everyone. Off to bed with all of you. We'll go to Diagon Alley to get Octavia some new robes early tomorrow."  
"Why does SHE get new robes?", Ron asked, frowning.  
"Your sister is the first girl in the family to go to Hogwarts, Ronald. Fred's old robes wouldn't fit her."  
Secretly, I'm glad-the old robes have Gryffindor colors on them, and I've always been terrified of not ending up in the family house. I've always felt less-than, because it's obvious I wasn't born into this family. I know my parents will love me no matter where I end up, but I need this reassurance.  
Ron and I are the last to trickle upstairs to our rooms, yawning as we go-it's half-past ten at night. "Lucky you, getting newer stuff," he says, lightly jabbing me in the side with his knobbly elbow.  
I playfully smack him back. "The robes are a necessity, you know that. I can't very well wear jeans to class. Besides, who knows what Fred did to that wand that I can't see yet."  
We bid each other good night as I enter the room I share with Ginny, climbing onto the top bunk and switching off our bedside lamp. It's going to be so hard to leave her behind. As the only girls of the family, we're super close, and spend most of our time getting back at Fred and George for their immature pranks on us. Godric, I'm going to miss her.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Octavia travels to Hogwarts and is sorted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really like this chapter! I hope you enjoy it as much as I had fun writing it when I was supposed to be asleep. Also, I have this headcanon that Cho is friends with Fred and George, and helps them with pranks, so I included that.

I step onto the train, waving at Mum and Ginny as I pull my trunk up. I hear Fred and George yell something in the distance about sending her a toilet seat, and roll my eyes. I don't know how Hogwarts is still intact with those two in its halls. Sighing, I walk down the halls, trying to find some place to sit, but most places are full. Rats. I come across a cabin with three boys and one open seat-I knock on the door and come in. "Mind if I sit here?" The boy sitting on the right side, who seems to be the ringleader, nods, and I settle in. He leans forwards. "Have we met? You look very familiar to an old friend of my family's. I'm Draco Malfoy. These two are Crabbe and Goyle." He points to the other two, currently reading a chocolate frog card upside down. "We haven't met. The name's Octavia. I'm assuming you're Lucius Malfoy's son?" Draco nods, and I get a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach. Anyone who had old wizarding blood knew about the Malfoys and who they had been during the war. But he isn't his parents, obviously, so maybe he's different. "What house are you hoping for? I'm hoping for Slytherin. I'm pureblood, of course, so it's the place for me." I thought about it for a few moments. I sort of want Gryffindor, but that's really only because I want to stick with my family. Aside from that, I actually think every house has its merits. "I've never thought about it too much, but I trust the sorting hat." "There's some people who never have to wonder where they'll end up. The two Weasleys joining this year, they'll be in Gryffindor for sure. Whole family has been for ages, the blood-traitorous lot." I stood up quickly. I might be adopted, but I'm a Weasley through and through. I don't want to hear this crap any longer. "Malfoy, if you ever insult my family to my face again, you will regret it. And don't bother crying to daddy about it." Slamming the door behind me, I look around furiously for somewhere, anywhere else to sit besides there. I notice one carriage with Fred, George, and a Ravenclaw girl who looks to be in her second year. They see me and Fred waves me in. "Sorry to barge in," I say, my face still red from my anger. "By the way, I'm happy to help with your pranks if we can target Malfoy." The girl speaks up. "Lucius Malfoy's son? My parents knew his parents at Hogwarts. No reason for him to be any different." I stare at my brothers, waiting as patiently as possible for an introduction. "Oh, right! Octavia, this is our friend, Cho Chang. Bit of a rule follower, but still fun enough. Cho, this is our little sister Octavia." Cho smiles at me. "Are you the one that sent them a dungbomb in the mail to hide under Professor Snape's desk ? Brilliant." She reaches out a hand, and I shake it. I listen to the conversation a little bit, interjecting occasionally, before drifting off to sleep and to a strange dream. In my dream, I'm a baby again. I see arms roughly wrapping me up in a blanket and hurrying out of a door. I start crying. An unidentified voice says softly, "shh" and places me on cold cobblestone. I keep wailing, and so many people pass me by, until a readheaded boy notices me. That's where I always wake up. "Hey, Octavia, we're here." George pulls me up by the wrist. I reach to grab my luggage. "Don't worry," he says. "It'll be brought to your dorm later." I nod and head out of the car. "First years! Fists years over here!" I see a large man with a lantern gathering all the people my age and herding them to boats. "See you after you get sorted, Via," Fred says to me, as they walk away with Cho and a boy I recognize as their friend, Lee Jordan, who must have been in a different carriage or something, because I know how close he is with the twins. I hurry over to the rest of the first years and I'm waved into a boat with two South Asian girls who look absolutely identical. We sit down, and the boats set off. "Hi!", the slightly taller one says. "I'm Padma Patil. This is my sister Parvati." I reach out a hand for each of them to shake. "Octavia Weasley. It's a pleasure." "So," Padma says, "Are you excited to get sorted? I want Ravenclaw for sure." "I'm excited, I suppose. I don't really have a house preference, but my family are all Gryffindors, so that would be nice. But Hufflepuff seems to have a really strong bond, and Ravenclaw is good because I'm extremely curious overall." Parvati nods. "I actually really want Gryffindor." We fall silent as the castle-oh, the castle-comes into sight. All the towers, and the lights-I can already tell this place is going to be a second home. Soon enough, we hit the shore and gather on the steps. A stern witch with green robes and slightly graying hair steps out. "The firs' years, Professor McGonagall," says Hagrid, the man who had led us to the boats. "Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here." She leads us into the castle, across flagged stone floors and into a little room off to the side of what I assume is the Great Hall. "Welcome to Hogwarts," said Professor McGonagall. "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your house common room. "The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rulebreaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup, a great honor. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours. "The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting." I notice Ron standing with the boy we helped get onto the platform earlier-Harry Potter, who I of course know the name of, but I don't want to bother him on his first day. He's just a normal kid, for all I know. Then, I see twenty ghosts stream into the room. Padma nealy faints, but Parvati and I catch her by the shoulder in time. What looked like a fat little monk was saying: "Forgive and forget, I say, we ought to give him a second chance --" "My dear Friar, haven't we given Peeves all the chances he deserves? He gives us all a bad name and you know, he's not really even a ghost -- I say, what are you all doing here?" A ghost wearing a ruff and tights suddenly notices the first years. Nobody answers. "New students!" says the Fat Friar, smiling around at them. "About to be Sorted, I suppose?" A few people nodded mutely. "Hope to see you in Hufflepuff!" says the Friar. "My old house, you know." "Move along now," says a sharp voice. "The Sorting Ceremony's about to start." Professor McGonagall walks back into the room.. One by one, the ghosts float away through the opposite wall. "Now, form a line," Professor McGonagall tells us, "and follow me." I admire the magnificence of the great hall, and I'm so caught up in the constellations that I jump when the sorting hat starts singing. "Oh, you may not think I'm pretty, But don't judge on what you see, I'll eat myself if you can find A smarter hat than me. You can keep your bowlers black, Your top hats sleek and tall, For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat And I can cap them all. There's nothing hidden in your head The Sorting Hat can't see, So try me on and I will tell you Where you ought to be. You might belong in Gryffindor, Where dwell the brave at heart, Their daring, nerve, and chivalry Set Gryffindors apart; You might belong in Hufflepuff, Where they are just and loyal, Those patient Hufflepuffis are true And unafraid of toil; Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw, if you've a ready mind, Where those of wit and learning, Will always find their kind; Or perhaps in Slytherin You'll make your real friends, Those cunning folk use any means To achieve their ends. So put me on! Don't be afraid! And don't get in a flap! You're in safe hands (though I have none) For I'm a Thinking Cap!" The song finishes to great applause, and Professor McGonagall starts calling out names. "Abbott, Hannah!" A pink-faced girl with blonde pigtails stumbles out of line, puts on the hat, which falls right down over her eyes, and sits down. A moments pause -- "HUFFLEPUFF!" shouts the hat. The table on the right cheered and clapped as Hannah goes to sit down at the Hufflepuff table. "HUFFLEPUFF!" shouts the hat again, and Susan scuttles off to sit next to Hannah. "Boot, Terry!" "RAVENCLAW!" The table second from the left claps this time; several Ravenclaws stand up to shake hands with Terry as he joins them. " Brocklehurst, Mandy" goes to Ravenclaw too, and "Brown, Lavender" becomes the first new Gryffindor, and the table on the far left explodes with cheers. "Bulstrode, Millicent" then becomes a Slytherin. "Finch-Fletchley, Justin!" "HUFFLEPUFF!" "Granger, Hermione!" "GRYFFINDOR!" "Longbottom, Neville!" "GRYFFINDOR!" My brain drifts off, and suddenly everyone is clapping furiously at the Gryffindor table-Harry Potter has been sorted there. I drift off again. I seriously have trouble paying attention, especially when I'm in high-pressure situations. "Turpin, Lisa!" "RAVENCLAW!" I look over to the table and see Padma there, who gives me an encouraging wave and smile. "Weasley, Octavia!" I take a deep breath and walk up to the stool, sit down, and shove the sorting hat onto my thick blackish brown curls. "Ah, what do we have here? Another Weasley, Well, then-" I get ready to join my family. "Now that I see your character, Octavia, you seem different, You're very much a Weasley, though not by blood. If I were to go by blood, you'd be somewhere else entirely-but that wouldn't work, no. You're a visionary, I see, you want to change the world. You wish to discover things. My choice is clear, and I know it is right. "RAVENCLAW!"


End file.
